Block press



C. l. YOUNG Nov. 29, 1949 BLOCK PRESS Nov. 29, 1949 C. l. YOUNG BLOCK PRESS Filed Jan. 15 1946 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES:

045/, ATTORNEYS. l

Patented Nov. 29, 1949 U NITED STAT ES PAT O FF ICE BLOCK PRESS- Clairl. Young,- Pittshurgh, Pa., assignorto- Harbi-r sorr-Walker Refractories Company, Pttsburgfif Baa. a corporation, of Pennsylvania Application January 15, 1946;. Serial No. 641,275

(Cl. 25e-893v k 7 Claims..

This invention relates toA brick orl block presses, and more particularly t'othose for pressing' bricks with recessesfin their bottoms.

One of the most popular machinesy for pressing bricksl is known in theindustry-'as the Boyd brick press, disclosed in its original form in Patent No. 987,124. In that press' a top pad is forced down into a moldto= press a' chargel of clay into a brick. The top pad then is retracted andV the bottom of the mold, which is the bottomv pad, is raised to lift the brick' to the top of the mold. While the bottom pad holds the brick in this position mo` men-taril'y, the brick is pushed forward on the pad to a location where it can be picked up by a workman and placed on apallet for ring; The brick pushing means is on the front' of a reciprocating charging member by which a new charge of loose clay is delivered to the mold as the bottom pad descends. The charger and pushing4 member areretracted behind the mold before the top pad moves down into the mold again to pressl anotherbrick; Itwill1 be seen thatif thebottoms of the bricks are to have recesses therein ex tending transversely ofthe machine, the projec-YY tion on; the bottom pad which` would fori-nk suoli recesses would prevent the molded bricks from being pushedforward ofi the raised pad. Cerise-- quently, the Boyd press has not been suitable for 'pressing bricks having recessed bottoms;

It is among the objects of this invention to' pro- 5 In accordance with this invention the bottom 'Y of the moldV in a block press" is formed fromV a vertically movable bottom pad that supports' a charge of clay or other suitable refractory material; in the mold, while a vertically reciprocab'le top pad above the moldis movable downwardly into it to press the charge into a block. The bottom pad has a projection on itsv top extending transversely of the machine or only part way across the pad, so that a recessis formed in theV bottom of the block. After each pressing. operation the pads are' movedi upwardly, the' bottom pad: raising the-block to thet'op'oi the mold where it immediately is* gripped by pickers carried by the' reciprocable moldwharging member; Aetnpress.

2. ating means, preferably in the form of a cam, is provided for moving the pickers forwardly away from the mold' the' block gripped between` them, but this means is so constructed and timed with the rest 0i' the machine that the pickers grip the block but doI not begin to move it until after the bottom pad' has descended far enough for its' recessLiorming projection to clearthe bottom of the block; Thus', this projection does not interfere. with lateral movement of the block away from the mold.. As soon as the block has been carried" by' the' pickers to a point readily accessible to a workman and released, the pickers are returned to theirV original position ready to grip the next block that israised between them. The pickers move in unison with the charging me'chani'smV so that` the mold is charged while a block'i's' being carried away from it by the pickers;

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in; the accompanying drawings in which Fig'. l is a side View' of ai brick' press with the pressing portion of it' shown in vertical section;` Fig. 2 is' a fragmentary front' view of the press; Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section', of the picker mechanism; and Fig. 4 isk an enlarged side view of the gripping means shown in Fig., 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and' 2 of; the drawings', a table l' is rigidly mounted between; thev front portions of a pair of vertical side frames 2y of a brick The central portieri'v of this table is provided' with a rectangular opening@ extending down through it to form' a mold. The bottom of this mold" isY formed' by a bottom pad 4" mounted on a vertically reciprocable plunger 6; This plunger f is. mounted on a cross head 'i having at its ends circular projections 3 that extend into circular openings in the lower. ends of a pair' oi vertical. side bars 9; Each' oi' these side barsslides up and and down the inner surface of the' adjoining side' frame between parallel guide ribs' H projecting from` the frame. The tops of these side bars are connected' by a horizontal shaft' l2 on which the upper end of aN heavy toggle link l3` is oscillatably mounted. The' lower' end oi this link is provided. with a central recess' iid' in which the bifurcated upper end; oi a lower toggle link IE1 is disposed. adjoining ends' of these links' are connected by'a horizontal shaft l'." on the central portion of- Which the front end oi' a crank arm I8" is oscillatablymounted. The lower end oi the lower link carries a shaft I9 the ends of which are mounted in a cross head 2l thatcarries a plunger 22 on the bottom of which there is a top pad 23. This pad is aligned with the mold so that it can be moved down into the mold when the plunger is moved downwardly.

In order to reciprocate the plungers in unison and also toward and away from each other, the rear end of crank arm I8 is shown in Fig. 1 as being journaled on the oiset central portion of a crank shaft 26 the ends of which are mounted in bearings 2l in the side frames of the machine. One end of the crank shaft projects from the outside of one of the side frames and carries a large gear 28 that is driven by a pinion 29 on one end of a shaft 3l below it. This shaft likewise is journaled in both side frames, and its opposite end carries a gear 32 that is driven by a pinion 33 mounted on a shaft 34 behind it. This rear shaft is journaled in the side frames of the machine from one of which it projects and carries a pulley 35 that is driven by a belt from an electric motor (not shown). Consequently, the motor, through the pulley and the train of gears and pinions just described, continuously rotates the crank shaft. As the rear end of the crank arm is carried around the circle the front end of the arm alternately breaks and straightens the toggle and also moves the toggle, the plungers and the side bars 9 up and down in unison. The exact movement desired is obtained by mounting a roller 36 between the side frames where it is engaged by the bottom of the crank arm at certain points in the cycle.

In order to charge the mold with clay or other refractory material, all of which is referred to herein as clay, the usual reciprocating charging box 9? is mounted on the table behind the mold and directly beneath a hopper 38 that contains the loose clay. This box is reciprocated by a rod 33 connected to its rear end. The rear end of this rod is pivotally connected to the lower end of an arm 4i the upper end of which is rockably mounted on a horizontal shaft l2 mounted in the side frames. The arm is rocked by a link 13 that is pivotally connected to it and to the lower end of a lever 44 that straddles rod 39. The upper end of this lever is rigidly mounted on the central portion of a horizontal rock shaft 46 journaled in the side frames. The lower end of another lever 41 is rigidly mounted on a projecting end of the rock shaft, and the upper end of this lever carries a cam follower roller 48 that travels in the groove of a cam 49 mounted on the inside of the large gear 28. As the gear revolves, the cam rocks lever 4l and thereby, through lever 44 and link 43 and arm 4l, reciprocates rod 39 and the charging box attached to it in timed relation with the movements of the plungers 6 and 22 which also are operated from gear 28.

Projecting forward from opposite sides of charging box 31 are bars 5l which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, carry rails 52 that travel on grooved rollers 53 attached to the side frame. Mounted on the front ends of these bars are socket members 55j in which horizontal pins '56 are removably disposed. The inner ends of these pins normally project through small perforated plates 5l welded in the ends of a horizontal angle bar 58, whereby the bar can be rocked on the pins. Connected to the inside of the flanges of the angle bar by means of cap screws 59 are a pair of blocks 60 from each of which a picker arm 6l projects rearwardly. Each arm, as shown in Fig. 1, has an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portions are supported by a cross bar 82 that has its ends mounted on lifters 63 the rear ends of which are pivotally connected to the side bars. The front ends of the lifters rest on pistons 54 (Fig. l) mounted in vertical cylinders 68 supported by the side bars. These cylinders are connected by pipes El to a flexible hose 63 that leads to a valve 69 connected to a compressed air supply pipe 'il This valve has an actuating stem i2 that is operated by a cam 13 on the projecting end of crank shaft 26. When this valve is opened, compressed air raises pistons 64 in cylinders 36 and thereby causes lifters 63 to raise cross bar 62 which in turn lifts the picker arms slightly for a purpose to be described presently.

As shown in Fig. 3, the lower portions of the picker arms contain small transversely extending cylinders in which pistons 78 are mounted that press against gripper plates 17 supported by the arms in such a way that the pistons can move them outwardly and springs T8 can move them back when the pressure in the cylinders is released. These cylinders are connected by pipes 79 to a flexible hose 8| that leads to a valve 82 connected to compressed air pipe l. The actuating stem 83 for this valve likewise is operated by cam '53. The position of this cam on the crank shaft is such that when a block is ejected from the mold the cam rst opens valve 82 to cause gripper plates Tl on the picker arms to move in to grip the block between them, and then the picker arms are lifted slightly by pistons (i4 and held in that position until they have been moved to their forward position, whereby the block is not dragged across the table and damaged.

It is a feature of this invention that this machine can operate in the general manner of Boyd brick presses even though the bottom pad has a projection 85 on top that forms a recess in the bottom of the block and that would prevent the block from being moved forward off the bottom pad when the pad is in its uppermost position. Accordingly, after the pickers have gripped the block that has been raised to the top of the mold by the bottom pad, the forward movement of the pickers with the block is delayed until after the bottom pad has descended far enough into the mold for its projection 85 to clear the bottom of the block. This descent of the bottom pad occurs only a few moments after the pad reaches its highest point, because crank shaft 28 which causes the movements of the plungers is rotating continuously and therefore the position of crank arm 48 is changing continuously. There are several ways to prevent the charging box and the picker mechanism from moving ahead the moment a block is ejected from the mold, but the preferred way of delaying forward movement'ofV the block is to form cam 49 on the large gear in such a shape that the cam follower roller 48 will not start to move outwardly away from the axis of the cam shaft until after projection 85 on the bottom pad has dropped below the block. As soon as this happens the cam quickly throws the roller outwardly and thereby swings the lower ends of lever 4i and arm 4l forward which moves the charging box and the pickers' forward with the block. The valve-controlling cam 73 then leaves stem 83 to permit the air pressure behind picker pistons 16 to be released so that the block will be dropped onto a pallet 86, only about one-eighth inch below. Then the same cam leaves the other valve stem 'l2 and the. picker arms swing down to their original position.` Immediately thereafter the largecam te starts to; swing the-camioHower roller le back toward the cam shaft; and the charger and. the pickers arev thereby drawn back to their starting positions ready to grip a new block and to reload the mold. It will be seen in Fig.; l that the portion of4 cam. track 49 which roller da travels. during the. pressing of the. block and until; the: projection 85. on: the: bottom. pad has descended below the pressed block, is concentric with cam shaft 2B. The rest of the cam is shaped to move the cam follower roller quickly away from and back towards the cam shaft.

A brick press constructed in accordance with this invention can make not only ordinary flat bottom bricks, but also those requiring recesses in their bottoms. Such recessed bricks are automatically removed from the mold to a pallet in front of it without injury to the bricks. The capacity of the machine is just as great when pressing recessed bricks as when molding plain bricks.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and construction of my invention and have illustrated described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

i. A block press comprising a mold, a bottom pad in the mold for supporting a charge of clay, a vertically reciprocable top pad movable downwardly into the mold to press said clay into a block, said bottom pad having a projection on its top to form a recess in the bottom of the block, vertically reciprocable means for periodically elevating the bottom pad to raise the block to the top of the mold, laterally movable grippers for gripping the raised block and carrying it forward away from the mold, and reciprocable means operatively connected to said grippers for reciprocating them horizontally but movable forward only after the bottom pad descends far enough for said projection to clear the bottom of the block. A

2. A block press comprising a mold, a bottom pad in the mold for supporting a charge of clay, a vertically reciprocable top pad movable downwardly into the mold to press said clay into a block, said bottom pad having a projection on its top to form a recess in the bottom of the block, means for periodically elevating the bottom pad to raise the block to the top of the mold, means for gripping the raised block, and a cam synchronized with said elevated means for reciproeating said gripping means horizontally to carry the block forward away from the mold, said cam being shaped to retain said gripping means stationary above the mold until after the bottom pad descends far enough for said projection to clear the bottom of the block.

3. A block press comprising a mold, a bottom pad in the mold for supporting a charge of clay, a vertically reciprocable top pad movable downwardly into the mold to press said clay into a block, said bottom pad having a projection on its top to form a recess in the bottom of the block, vertically reciprocable means for periodically elevating the bottom pad to raise the block to the top of the mold,` horizontally reciprocable means for gripping the raised block and carry- 6.? ing.` it'iorward away from the mold,` means' for raising. said gripping' means ashortl distance aitm er the blockhas been gripped, means for delayVm ing? said block-carryingl movementv of said-grip'- ping. means until after. the bottom paddescends far enough for said projection to clear the bottom of the block., and continuously rotating means synchronizing said vertically reciprocable means and said delaying meansv 4. A block pressr comprisinga. mold,.- a bottompad-.in the-mold forv supporting a charge of clay, a vertically reciprocable top pad movable downwardly into the mold to press said clay into a block, said bottom pad having a projection on its top to form a recess in the bottom of the block, vertically reciprocable means for periodically elevating the bottom pad to raise the block to the top of the mold, means for gripping the raised block, and means operatively connected to said pad-elevating means for starting to move said block-gripping means forward away from the mold after the bottom pad has descended far enough for said projection to clear the bottom of the block.

5. A block press comprising a mold, a bottom pad in the mold for supporting a charge of clay, a vertically reciprocable top pad movable downwardly into the mold to press said clay into a block, said bottom pad having a projection on its top to form a recess in the bottom of the block, continuously operating means for periodically elevating the bottom pad to raise the block to the top of the mold, means for gripping the raised block, and a cam operated by said continuously s operating means for reciprocating said gripping means horizontally to carry the block forward away from the mold, said cam being shaped to retain said gripping means stationary above the mold until after the bottom pad descends far enough for said projection to clear the bottom of the block.

6. A block press comprising a mold, a bottom pad in the mold for supporting a charge of clay, a vertically reciprocable top pad movable downwardly into the mold to press said clay into a block, said bottom pad having a projection on its top to form a recess in the bottom of the block, a continuously rotating crank shaft, mechanism operatively connecting said shaft to the bottom pad for periodically elevating that pad to raise the block to the top of the mold, gripping members disposed at opposite sides of the top of the mold, fluid pressure operated means operated when the bottom pad is in its highest position for moving said members inwardly to grip for a predetermined interval the block raised between them, and a cam rotating with said shaft for reciprocating said gripping members horizontally to carry the block forward away from the mold, said cam being shaped to retain said gripping members and gripped block above the mold until after the bottom pad descends far enough for said projection to clear the bottom of the block.

'7. A block press comprising a mold, a bottom pad in the mold for supporting a charge of clay, a vertically reciprocable top pad movable downwardly into the mold to press said clay into a block, said bottom pad having a projection on its top to form a recess in the bottom of the block, vertically reciprocable means connected to the bottom pad for periodically elevating it to raise the block to the top of the mold, gripping members disposed at opposite sides of the top of the mold, continuously rotating means for actuating said reciprocable means and for periodically mov- 2,489,848 7l 8 ing said gripping members inwardly to grip for v a predetermined interval the block raised between REFERENCES CITED them by the bottom pad, and a cam driven by The following references are of record in the said rotating means for reciprocating said gripfile of this patent:

ping members horizontally to carry the block 5 forward away from the mold, said cam being UNITED STATES PATENTS shaped to retain said gripping members and Number Name Date gripped block above the mold until after the bot- 1,223,457 Wettlaufer Apr. 24, 1917 tom pad descends far enough for said projection 1,809,601 Porter June 9, 1931 to clear the bottom of the block. 10 2,029,084 Schmidt Jan. 28, 1936 CLAIR I. YOUNG. 

